She's The Light
by lonelywinter
Summary: AU where Caroline is turned instead of Jenna for the sacrifice but things don't get to go exactly how Klaus planned.


There was absolutely nothing tolerable about a day with two pages worth of math homework. Caroline felt as if her brain were about to explode from all the theories and numbers, so she decided to take a break. Alcohol would help. Luckily her mom wasn't home and didn't give a shit whether or not Caroline drank.

Not only was the math annoying her, but Caroline had only recently learned of the supernatural. About the Salvatore brothers being vampires and Tyler being a werewolf. Elena had confessed everything to her a few nights ago but it sounded really freaky -almost as if she were saying goodbye. That was ridiculous though because Elena still had like two more years of school left.

She made her way towards the fridge, being careful not to get caught even though there was nobody there to catch her. There was a knock on the door that she froze at, who would be here this late? Upon opening the door she was met with an unfamiliar face. "Hello?" She asked cautiously.

The man smiled at her, dimples appearing on both sides of his face. "Hello there, my car broke down on the road I was wondering if I could use your phone." He seemed normal enough, but Caroline wasn't allowing him in the house.

She nodded, "Yeah I'll just go get it." She slipped away from him, but kept looking behind her every couple steps. Caroline remembered something Elena said about vampires not being able to come in unless you invite them so she supposed if he was dangerous he couldn't come in. Finally she returned, handing him the phone.

He accepted graciously, dialing a number quickly. "Tony," he greeted merrily, "I've seemed to have broken down would you mind picking me up at-" he looked at Caroline for her address, she gave is hesitantly, "alright then mate, see you soon."

Caroline noticed the mate thing, "So where are you from? You have an accent." She was leaning just inside the door, in case of vampires. The whole thing was still mysterious to her.

He handed the phone back to her, "England obviously Love." She rolled her eyes. "You know," he smirked, "you are quite stunning."

The mans eyes roamed her up and down which Caroline noticed, "And I don't like men staring at me like that, so eyes up here buddy." Suddenly they were. "Thank you."

He was smiling ear to ear, "You're a feisty one."

"If you're just going to flirt with me until your friend gets here then I'm going inside." She made the move to shut the door but he jumped a little. Caroline paused.

His face was sincere enough, "No, stay, talk to me." She only looked at him. "People will think I'm trying to break in if I'm standing here alone." She supposed that was true enough, plus her mom was the sheriff and if Liz showed up and found him there they'd both be in shit.

Caroline didn't want to keep the door open, so she decided that if he was going to hurt her, he would have done it already. And from what she'd learned about vampires, they wouldn't need to come to her door to ask to use the phone. "Fine." She agreed. "But I'm sitting out there with you, don't pull anything funny."

He raised his hands innocently, "I would never."

She shut the door behind her, moving to sit on the steps where he joined her. "So you ever been to Mystic Falls before? It's nothing exciting, but it's home."

He chuckled, "I've been around the whole world, but I always end up here somehow. I lived here many years ago." Caroline didn't remember him but he did seem older than her so perhaps they had never interacted when she was younger.

She leaned against her knees, "I've never really been anywhere." He raised an eyebrow. "I mean I visit my dad out of town sometimes but other than that …"

He seemed interesting, smiling at her like she was saying something of poetry. "The world is beautiful, you should be able to see it some day."

Her expression matched his, "Well if you've been everywhere, maybe you could take me." She wasn't crazy. He was hot, he thought she was stunning and Caroline was going to get as much out of the time he was here as possible.

He nodded, "Perhaps." From in the distance came a horn, whomever the guy had called finally showed up. He hopped out of the car, making his way towards the two of them on the deck.

Caroline stood up, backtracking towards the front door. "Well I hope your car gets fixed." She reached for the handle, but paused. "What's your name by the way? I'm Caroline."

He was standing now too on the top step, his hands folded in front of him. His friend was nearly right behind him. "Hello Caroline, I'm Klaus."

Caroline's heart nearly started pounding out of her chest as she heard his name. Elena had mentioned him, the oldest and most evil vampire in the world -supposed to be a thing of myth. She tried her best to not let her fear show, jiggling the doorknob. "Well good luck!" She called.

But he grabbed her shoulder, spinning her around and pinning her against the door. She cried out in pain. "I can tell from your heartbeat that you've heard of me. Fantastic." How could she have been so stupid? Klaus titled his head at her, "Now I really hate to do this Caroline but I need your help. Don't scream."

Without warning he was biting into his own wrist and placing it against her lips. The blood made its way into her mouth without consent, Caroline felt like she could throw up. She struggled against him but it felt like hitting a brick wall. Klaus removed his arm, "This is the worst part Love, I'll see you soon." The last thing she could remember was his hands on her head then everything went black.

-o-

There was fire, lots and lots of fire that Caroline could see brighter than she could ever before. It stung against her eyes as she struggled to figure out where she was. "You're awake!" Came an unfamiliar voice.

A pretty woman came through the flames, she looked evil. Caroline sat up, scared that she was going to be hurt but the girl simply cut open her palm, offering it to Caroline.

She didn't understand why her gums started to hurt, or her body was aching for the red liquid but she didn't hesitate to lung forward and drink from the woman. Caroline felt blissful as she consumed inhumane amounts of blood, but the woman pulled away too quickly, causing Caroline to fall onto all fours panting.

Suddenly she felt her eyes burning, like a coal was singeing her skin. Her mouth began to ache, and Caroline felt her teeth grow into something deadly. "What am I?" She asked scared.

Elena's voice came through the flames, calling out to her friend. "Caroline? Are you alright?" Caroline looked up shaking her head. Elena was in her own circle of fire. "It's gonna be alright Caroline, I'm going to be fine, you're gonna be fine just stay calm."

Caroline stood up, wiping the blood off of her chin, "Elena what's happening?" She cried.

Elena looked around for anybody but the woman that had fed Caroline blood was the only one in sight. Her friend was crying as well. "Klaus wants to use us as a sacrifice but I'm not gonna let him okay, he's not going to hurt you."

Caroline stomped her foot, "That son of a bitch! I let him use my phone and he killed me!" Her cheeks were stained with freshly fallen tears.

Elena looked confused, "You what?"

She didn't answer, instead she cried out, "Elena I'm scared!"

"As you should be." Klaus's voice came from over the hill. He, Tony and another girl appeared. The woman was struggling against herself almost, like she was being possessed. Klaus tossed her to the side once he hit the bottom of the hill. A ring of fire erupted around her as soon as her body landed on the ground. "Caroline." he greeted.

Caroline walked near the edge of her circle, "Why did you do this to me? What did I do to you?"

Klaus stood inches from her, not looking quite as smug as he had before, "It's nothing personal Love, don't worry about it."

The ceremony started with the other girl which Caroline assumed was a werewolf since she heard Klaus saying something about a transition. The woman tried to run but Klaus caught her, killing her instantly.

Elena called to Caroline, who looked at her best friend with a broken look. She knew she was next and no matter what she did, Caroline was going to die. "Caroline, listen to me okay. No matter what happens I want you to know I'll be okay."

Caroline didn't understand, "how?"

Shaking her head Elena said, "It doesn't matter okay, you do what you need to do to get out of here. Leave me behind. I'll be fine."

Caroline's breathing was coming out irregularly, her heart would have been pumping at full steam if she wasn't dead. "Elena I can't."

"Yes you can!" She insisted with the force of a concerned mother.

Liz. Caroline never got to say goodbye to her, to her dad, to Stefan or Bonnie or anybody that she loved. Her life was about to be over and the last face she would see was Klaus.

The flames around her began to dissipate, Caroline watched the circles lower around her, but she didn't try to run -it would just make him mad. Instead she stood brave in the center of where the ring used to be.

Klaus marched over, looking like he was ready to inflict death upon all. Caroline looked towards her shoes, watching as Klaus's feet stopped nearly four inches away from her own. She met his eyes, "Can I just ask one question first?"

Elena was screaming at her to run but the blond ignored her friend, fully aware of the fact that it would be cocked his head to the side, "Sure thing."

Slowly Caroline asked, "What's it like in Paris?" he seemed taken back by her question. "If I'm not going to live, I just wanna know."

Klaus leaned in close as he whispered, "Beautiful people, music, art. A place for a queen like you Caroline," she blinked back tears, "I do hope you get to see it someday." He moved back from her, Caroline was confused.

Suddenly Klaus flashed over to the alter, a stake being pushed through the heart of buddy Tony. Caroline's mouth went agape, her hands against her chest in shock.

Elena looked just as surprised, "Caroline run, go now! Leave me, I'll be fine, go!" Caroline looked at her friend, then back to the man that she thought would be her killer and ran.

-o-

She got home in minutes, but then she remembered that she had to be invited in and started to cry again. Her fists banged against the door with such power she thought she'd break the glass. "Mom! Mom let me in!"

Liz came running down the stairs, wearing her nightgown and slippers. She undid the dead bolt and opened the door, "Alright come in! Dear God Caroline where have you been?"

Caroline pushed past her moving towards her bedroom to call Bonnie. "Nowhere!" She yelled.

"Is that blood on your shirt?" Liz sounded extremely concerned but Caroline didn't have time for her.

Tossing her hands into the air Caroline explained, "No! I just spilled something!" She ran into her room, slamming the door so hard she thought it might break off the hinges.

Her phone was on her bed where she'd left it earlier in the evening. The clock read that it was nearly four in the morning. Caroline called Bonnie crying, "Bonnie?!"

Bonnie was panicked as well, "Caroline what's wrong?"

Caroline sat on the edge of the bed, bouncing her knee up and down trying to calm herself. "There was his ceremony and Klaus and I left Elena! Bonnie I'm a vampire and I'm scared!?" Her eyes were letting out oceans at that point.

Quickly Bonnie said, "Okay Caroline it's gonna be alright, just come over to the Salvatore house okay?" Caroline agreed, hanging up on her best friend.

She changed into a large grey sweat shirt before taking off again. Liz was back in her room by that point which was a good thing. Caroline didn't want to have to tell her mom about everything that had happened.

Bonnie answered the door, her hair blowing behind her from the motion. Caroline walked into the house easily since all the owners were actually dead. She crumpled into her best friends arms. "Oh Bonnie I-" She could feels her veins start to grow, her teeth descending from her gums. Caroline knew it was wrong but Bonnie's blood was pumping so fast and she couldn't hold back.

Right before her attack, Caroline was being pulled back and against by the throat. Stefan was yelling at her to calm down and she did. Damon had his hands on Bonnie's arms for comfort -which was odd- and Caroline was crying. "I'm so sorry Bonnie I didn't mean too. I'm so scared I don't know what's happening!" Stefan hugged her then, the need to drink him wasn't present inside of her.

After she calmed down Bonnie asked her to explain the whole story. She told them of the man that came to her door claiming that he wanted to use the phone, but then turned out to be Klaus and right before he was going to kill her he killed Tony instead. His henchman vampire friend. Caroline told them about Elena's promise that she'd be fine and how she was sorry that she left.

Stefan put a gentle hand against her shoulder, "Elena will be alright Caroline, John used a spell to give up his own life for hers, she should wake any second." Caroline smiled with relief.

Suddenly the brunette appeared in the doorway, "I'm fine." They all rushed over to her, one by one giving her a welcome back hug. Caroline took the last turn, holding her tighter than she used to when she was human.

"I can't believe we're both alive, I thought we were both gonna die!" She let her friend go, Elena breathed in deeply. "It's a miracle."

"Except that you're a vampire now." Bonnie commented.

Stefan said, "I'll help her. She'll be fine." Caroline felt blessed to have people that she loved around her.

-o-

Nearly three days later and Caroline still couldn't get used to the fact that she had to wear that stupid, ugly ring all the time or that she had to eat nearly every ten minutes until she figured out how to control blood lust. Caroline hated lying to her mom and sneaking blood bags into her room, but it was necessary since Damon said her mom was head of the I-Hate-Vampires Club.

One afternoon, Caroline heard a knock on the door. She walked into the front entrance and saw a face she wished she hadn't. Klaus stood on the other side of the door, looking as if he were innocent. "Go away." She commanded.

He gave her puppy dog eyes, "Come on Love, what have you got to lose?" She sighed heavily, opening the door with a dramatic flail. "Was that so hard?"

"What more do you want from me?" She asked, "You already killed me, what else could you possibly want?"

"Your friend Elena, she's alright isn't she?" He already knew the answer, Caroline could tell just from the smug look he held inside his eyes.

She crossed her arms, "Don't hurt her again."

Klaus shrugged, "Well I completed my ceremony so I really won't be needing her anymore." She said nothing. "I am terribly sorry for the whole killing thing."

Caroline didn't want to talk to him anymore but something about his voice made it hard for her to move. "Well, you should be." He smiled. Caroline had a question burning on the tip of her tongue and she knew that if she didn't say it now, she would never get to. "Why did you kill Tony instead of me?"

He didn't looked surprised by this question, only as if he was expecting it. "I saw a light in your Caroline, asking about Paris instead of begging for your life. It was something I don't see often, but something I admire. And I thought -what a cruelty it would be to remove her from this world. So I allowed you to live Caroline in hopes that you'll never let that spark die." She blushed, because nobody ever saw her like that not even people she'd known her whole life. "I hope you keep that light Caroline, always. Even when you're in your darkest times."

She let out a small smile, "I won't."

"Caroline who are you talking to?" Liz rounded the corner, looking concerned for her daughter.

Caroline faced her mom, pointing over her shoulder to Klaus. "Just-" but when she looked back at him there was nothing where he had been standing. "Nobody mom. Ding-Dong ditch is all." Liz nodded unconvinced.

Caroline looked back out to the front yard but Klaus was nowhere in sight. As much as she wanted to hate him, she felt herself smiling whenever she thought of him, of the way he perceived her, how he hadn't used her as a sacrifice after all. Caroline could be angry about the way he turned her into a vampire, but she was actually starting to enjoy all the extra vampire abilities.

Right before she was going to shut the door she saw a note on the door mat that hadn't been there earlier. She bent down and captured it. It read: **_Caroline, remember me until we meet again_**** -Klaus.**


End file.
